Lords Chasing Another Sportsbet Silver Collar At Dapto

Andy Lord is not sure exactly how many Dapto Silver Collars he and his wife JODIE have won over the years, but he admitted that “there’s been quite a few.” 

And the pair will be chasing another one at Dapto on Thursday night with three runners in the 2021 Sportsbet Silver Collar Memorial worth $10,000 to the winner.

The Gunning-based Lords have SERIOUS Object in box 4, Winlock On Top (pictured) in box 6, and Ritza Donald in box 8, and Andy believes all three have excellent winning prospects.

“It’s been a good race for us over there years. We’ve won quite a few of them,” said Lord who won the last edition of the event back in 2019 (like many races in 2020 it was not run) with Cawborne Marty, and the previous one with Rohan Hill.

“It’s great money … for a provincial track to put on a one-off race for $10,000 is great, but we wouldn’t have put the dogs in there if we didn’t think they had a chance of winning.”

SERIOUS Object, who has a 29.94s Dapto win to his credit, was a good last start winner at Wentworth Park on May 19 in 29.89s.

Ritza Donald won at Wentworth Park in a slick 29.54s five runs back off the same draw he has at Dapto, and does have a 29.70s performance to his credit at the South Coast circuit, while Winlock On Top has won seven of 14 at Dapto including a very slick 29.51s effort last December, but was disappointing when last behind Coast Model at Wentworth Park last start on May 29.

“Winlock On Top is just out of form a little bit, and he’s never sort of been like that way, but I did find him a little bit sore after the last run, so I think you can expect him to go well on Thursday night,” Andy said.

“The best boxed runner is Ritza Donald and he’s flying up my straight, so expect him to go well.

“Obviously SERIOUS Object needs to lead to win, but I think he can lead. The seven (Ebby Infrared) has a bit of pace, but he’s got to try and navigate around Ritza Donald who is 37kgs and he does want to go to the fence.

“I think the sneaky chance is the red (Enicka Bale). I went back through her form and she can really run. She has come to Simon Rhodes (from the Victorian kennels of Andrea Dailly), and while she’s not a dog with a lot of wins beside her name, she can gallop.

“It should be a great race deserving of the $10,000 prizemoney.”

The time-honoured Dapto Silver Collar which now has Sportsbet as its naming rights sponsor, has a long tradition dating back to 1963, when Miss Warcroft took out the 555 yard event and the 60 pounds prizemoney which went with the trophy, beating dead-heaters Pretty Again and Royal Bandit.

Over the years it has been won by some smart greyhounds, none better than 1968 winner, the legendary Zoom Top.